Pages

Wednesday, 3 June 2015

Petr Cech keen on joining Arsenal

The
Chelsea goalkeeper is ready to tell the club that he wants to move to
the Gunners as he is keen to keep his family in London. Petr Cech will
tell Chelsea that he wants to join Arsenal this summer, Goal UK reports.

Cech looks set to leave the club in the transfer window in search of
regular first-team opportunities after falling behind Thibaut Courtois
in the pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal has shown the most serious interest in Cech and believes it can
strike a deal with Chelsea to sign the 33-year-old, despite initially
being told that the Premier League champions would not sell to a direct
rival.

Jose Mourinho has said that he would prefer Cech to move
abroad but there is a growing sense that Chelsea will let him choose
his next club out of respect for his 11 years of service in west London.

Paris Saint-Germain has been linked with the goalkeeper in the past
while Manchester United is closely monitoring his situation should David
De Gea complete his anticipated switch to Real Madrid this summer.

But Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to tempt Cech with his
ambitious plans to challenge for the Premier League title next season
after the Gunners successfully retained the FA Cup last weekend.

Crucially, a move to Arsenal would mean the former Rennes keeper would
be able to stay in London; he is keen to avoid uprooting his family,
with his two children settled at school in the capital.

The
Czech Republic international has only one year remaining on his contract
but Chelsea is expected to demand at least 20 million euros for his
services.

Mourinho suggested last month that he would urge the
club to resist selling Cech, who made 16 appearances this season but
just seven in the Premier League, particularly if his departure was to
facilitate the improvement of a direct rival.

But the
Portuguese also admitted that the decision might be taken out of his
hands by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the club’s board.

Mourinho said: “One thing is Jose Mourinho and another is Mr.
Abramovich, and another thing is the board, because the board is a
little bit of me and a little bit of other people.
“If it was me, if it was my decision, the decision is Petr to stay.
That’s it. It would be my decision for Petr to stay. Even against his
will? Yes.
“For me, decision number one, Petr will stay. After that, second point,
is for him to go but not to stay in England. The option I don’t want is
for him to go to an English club.
“But, I repeat, I am just the manager and he means so much for this
club and what he did in this club, I think he deserves everything from
this club. If the club decision is different to mine I will accept it.”